Jobs scheme offers hope to Indigenous youth

A partnership between a local abattoir and Indigenous support group is bringing disadvantaged Aborigines to the Riverina, in southern New South Wales, for the chance at a better life.

Using federal funding and private donations, Milton James started the Boys from the Bush program in 2005.

Two years ago he teamed up with the now JBS Swift abattoir at Yanco to offer meat processing traineeships.

So far, almost 40 people from the Northern Territory and Queensland have been employed at the plant, which Mr James says is a natural fit.

"A lot of these young people come from the bush, so they've grown up helping out with family hunting and processing wild animals, so they're familiar with the sights and sounds and the textures of this type of work," he said.

"It's a small step for them to go from hunting in the bush to working in a meatworks."

Yanco abattoir plant manager Paul Gilligan is an enthusiastic supporter of the program.

Mr Gilligan says several participants, after finishing the program, have ended up coming back to live and work in the Riverina.

He says he would like to see it expanded.

"I think it could work in any industry," he said.

"Nearly every industry in Australia is having a bit of a boon now and struggling for people.

"I think this is one way we could all get on board with this Boys from the Bush program.

"It suits us, works well for us and I think it's work well at other plants.

"I'm quite sure there'd be a lot more plants going in this direction, same as the Riverina."

A young Indigenous man from the Northern Territory says moving to the Riverina and working at the Yanco abattoir has been one of the best choices he has ever made.

'Good choice'

Lazarus Grant from Tennant Creek is one of 16 current participants in the Boys from the Bush program, which only endorses participants who choose to leave their family and community.

Mr Grant says he is glad he came to Yanco.

"I'm a boner. I take meat out of the cattle and just bone it out till there's no meat on the bone," he said.

"[I'll] stick it out here till I get my qualifications I reckon, another year or so.

"It's a deadly program getting all the young people off the streets, especially one like me.